Skype announced this morning that it has signed up its first mobile partner in E-Plus, Germany's third largest mobile phone network with 9.8 million subscribers. Skype software will be bundled with the provider’s flat-rate data service so that its customers can make Voice over IP calls as part of their data service.

“E-Plus is the first mobile operator to partner with Skype, taking the first step to deliver Skype's vision of making Skype available over any network, including 3G,” said Skype CEO and founder Niklas Zennström in a prepared statement. “We look forward to working with other innovative mobile operators around the world to bring the value and convenience of the Skype global Internet communications experience to their millions of mobile phone subscribers.”

The announcement comes as speculation continues to swirl around Skype’s prospects for being acquired – rumors the company is now strongly denying.

E-Plus customers will pay $49.48 a month for the flat-rate data service, which includes Internet access and free Skype calling to the 2.9 million German subscribers to Skype and the 52 million registered Skype users globally.